Laughs from the Past

Every year, since we’ve lived in Arkansas, my children have had the opportunity to spend a few days alone with my mom. This year, they are each getting an entire week with her! My little girls went to her house together last week, and now, my oldest daughter is there for her week. My son will go when Lauren returns. They look forward to this time alone with her all year long. And is it any wonder? She makes them huge breakfasts, complete with Toaster Strudels (a luxury for us), takes them shopping and to the massive Saline County Library, and basically anwhere else they want to go. 🙂 They make lists of what they will do, “Go to library” and “play in sprinkler” are the most popular items on their lists. They all insist that they be there with her for a Sunday, because they love going to her Sunday School class (even if their a bit too young or too old) and her Children’s Church. It warms my heart to think of my six year old sitting in the same children’s church that I did when I was six! I’m so thankful my parent’s were never “church hoppers”, they stayed put, even when the church faced hard times, and they stayed faithful.

When the kids are away, no matter which one is gone, it changes the entire dynamic of how things are run here. I felt like a lady of leisure while the little girls were away! I had less laundry, two fewer baths to assist with (only had to bathe Matt!), and I could work with fewer interruptions. I took the opportunity while they were away to thoroughly clean out their room and closet and I moved a small bookshelf out of their room and into our school room so I could better keep up with our many books! I got a lot accomplished, but I was missing them! I was so happy to see them come through the door yesterday! Now, I’m missing my girl, Lauren. She’s my big helper, my left arm (I’m left handed).

While they were gone, I managed to go through the piles and piles of stuff that had collected here, there and yonder. Yesterday, I cleaned out my file cabinet, throwing away user’s manuals to items we no longer have, old papers, and so forth. In so doing, I came across a file of some of my writing from years gone by. I didn’t realize how much I’d written “pre-blog”. I have about 550 posts on this blog, 130-something on another blog and many notebooks and file folders, or so I recently discovered! Some of the stories cracked me up! I don’t know what I was thinking! I thought I’d share a poem I found that I wrote on Oct. 7, 2002. (yes, Mom taught me to date everything!) I thought it was so funny! Reading over my old material, I discovered that my writing has improved with practice! I still have a long way to go, but I was pleased with my progress, considering I haven’t had a creative writing class since high school. 🙂 So, here you go.

Do What You Love

To feel the autumn breezes blow,

To take a walk on paths you know,

To hear the buzzing bumble bee,

The black and yellow, can you see?

Describing colors rich in hue,

The crimson red and midnight blue,

To go to mountain peaks so high,

They reach the dome above the sky.

I’d take you to this land with me

From plains of wheat to salty sea,

But if you come, please do beware,

You just might feel the cold night air.

For good words, they tend to call,

You’ll want to touch that waterfall.

You’ll smell the earth, the scent of rain

And walk for miles that dusty lane.

To take you to a place so far,

To see the moon or touch a star!

It’s what I do, it’s what I love!

Shhhh….did you hear that dove?

Sheer joy it brings if you could see

The things that mean the most to me.

Kids at play, a laugh, a sigh,

These make my days, I cannot lie.

On desks, or tables, the kitchen sink!

I must write down the things I think.

It fills a need – a deep, dark void.

It makes me glad and overjoyed!

To know that one day you might read

The things I wrote, and be agreed

Don’t spend your days with push and shove,

Do what I do, do what you love!

Thanks for indulging me as I fill my “deep, dark void”! Haha! I was so silly. Have a great day!

Hello, dear Valerie!! I just saw the comment you left on my blog from yesterday (I'm a bit late I'm afraid!!). I had to come by to see if I could post a comment more easily and I could!! It acknowledged my account with no problems!

I know you are very busy with family life so please do not apologize for not being able to visit or comment too often on my blog. I understand completely. I just want to do what I can to support a fellow IFB sister and I really do enjoy your blog very much. I am very happy to be able to comment more easily on your blog now.

I would love to read more about your Father's Day activities when you have time to post. You remain in my prayers.

Hello!

I'm Valerie! Thanks for dropping by my online home. I'm a pastor's wife, mom, bookworm, history lover, and writer. You can find out more about me by clicking that "About"
tab at the top, or by reading any of these blog posts. I write about theology, books, and my life as a mom. I know there are millions of places you can go online these days, so I count it an honor to have you here. Thank you!